This is an opinion column

If you need a safe space to process election results, you’re the reason Democrats lit up like a Christmas tree in the November election. For most Americans, reality leaves no time or space to dwell on politics and record it on social media. Liberals attribute their electoral failure to racism, misogyny or climate change. The truth is a bitter pill: Americans prefer offensive Republicans to condescending Democrats.

Over the past four years, America’s middle class has voiced concerns to politicians about the economy, widespread illegal immigration and violent crime. On the positive side, Americans want stable jobs that put bread on the table in safe communities. This isn’t just a MAGA dream; he’s an American.

Trump’s exaggerations and untruths are not the lies that shaped the election. Democrats said inflation was transitory. This was not the case. They said the flood of illegal immigration was part of normal fluctuations. That wasn’t correct. Biological sex is meaningless. Joe Biden’s abilities are not diminished. This will be the last American election if Trump wins.

I could go on.

Politicians on the left, including Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, pleaded with voters to ignore their own eyes and ears in service of a partisan narrative that didn’t ring true. Then they had the audacity to tell voters that the real problem was average voters’ lack of understanding.

Let’s just say that all the horrible things Democrats have said about President-elect Donald Trump are accurate, so we don’t have to discuss them. The Democratic presidential candidate called “Hitler” is more preferable to a majority of American voters than having Democrats explain away one critical issue after another.

Over the past several years, I have expressed my ongoing concerns about Trump’s policies and character. I’m a boring Reagan conservative who generally tries to treat people with respect. This led to many public and private clashes with my Republican brothers. I took my lumps and delivered a few too. Nonetheless, I have not lost my seat at the table or been canceled, even though my conservative outlook and personal character are sometimes at odds with Trump’s populist majority in the Republican Party.

Since Trump took office in 2016, Democrats have been willing to welcome people like me with open arms. Anyone willing to criticize Trump is a commendable novelty. To many liberals, I am a “reasonable” conservative who does not particularly appreciate performance politics, regardless of party. There’s only one problem: I won’t check my conservatism at the door. In fact, I support life, I love Jesus, and I refuse to believe that the winners of a popularity contest should dictate my life and opportunities.

Confronted with my policy and political perspectives, one Democrat after another determined that our disagreement was actually due to my lack of information. Rather than fighting with me like my Republican friends, they speak slowly and politely explain their point of view to me over and over again. It simply doesn’t occur to them that we might disagree if we had access to the same information.

It turns out that many Democrats can tolerate just about any kind of diversity that isn’t ideological. You can be a man dressed as a woman identifying himself as the ghost of Harambe the gorilla, and Democrats will applaud you for discovering the truth. Make the case that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the workplace hurt merit-based career advancement, and that Democrats will dismiss you like yesterday’s garbage.

In the context of the Democratic echo chamber, those of us who disagree are indeed crude deplorables in need of perpetual education. If we resist, we represent a threat to democracy itself. These are the only options.

The problem for Democrats is not that America needs more or better partisan explanations; It’s because voters don’t like what they hear. Even in the face of electoral defeat, Democrats remain stubbornly focused on protecting the institutions, bureaucrats, and democratic norms that have just been rejected by voters who really only want a fair share of the American dream.

Americans will take an offensive punch in the nose much more easily than condescending civil discourse from partisans who aren’t paying attention. Democrats must face this reality before they understand why they lost.

Smith is a recovering political lawyer with four boys, two dogs, a bearded dragon and an extremely patient wife. He is a partner in a media company, a business strategy enthusiast and a radio show regular. Please express your outrage or agreement to [email protected] Or @DCameronSmith on X or @davidcameronsmith on the discussions.